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Watching Pets: An Interlude From "A Young Adult's Tale of Slave Leia and Jabba the Hutt"
Staring into Luke Skywalker's eyes, Leia felt a chill; it took her a moment to realize it wasn't due to the cool air traveling over her exposed flesh. Oh, Force! ''She glanced down at her half-naked body, at the long, thick, green tail that slithered and wiggled sleepily beside her bare thigh, and at the lizard-monkey sitting in the thick, coiled base of that tail. Blushing deeply, Leia looked back up at Luke. He'd been like a brother to her for so long now; what he must be thinking of her? He'd told her to stay alive, and she had...but at such a degrading and demoralizing cost. And now, after all she'd been put through, to be seen like ''this... Don't worry, Luke's Force-voice said, and although Leia felt somewhat reassured, she still felt her cheeks burn as the young Jedi's eyes lifted from hers. There was a rustle as Bib Fortuna climbed up onto the throne, and the shuffling of his sandals as the majordomo moved beside his master. Throughout the chamber, sleeping cronies and criminals began to stir awake to behold the newcomer. Several whispered hoarsely in recognition of Luke, no doubt from the hologram message that the droid R2D2 had brought in the day before Leia arrived. And everything went so terribly wrong, she thought, blinking and glaring down at her bare legs. She found herself uncomfortably recalling flickers of images from the night before, and closed her eyes, refusing to believe that such wanton actions could have been done by her--could have been anything more than a terrible dream...one that had felt so horribly real--'' "At last!" C3PO exclaimed from nearby; and Leia's eyes opened in an absurd combination of annoyance and relief. The droid had finally been permitted to return to the audience chamber at some point in the night from whatever tasks he'd been sent off to do. "Master Luke has come to rescue me!" he added hopefully, and more of the crowd awoke. "Master," Bib said, and there was an enormous, phlegmy groan and the skin-crawling squelch of folds of sticky flesh stretching and parting from itself as her loathsome captor, Jabba the Hutt, started awake. She felt the cushions shift against her bottom as the Hutt shifted, and the chain that kept her by his side jingled as the shadows of his short, chubby arms fell over her. ''Luke, ''what are you planning?'' Leia thought, tensing. No reply came, however; Luke simply stared right above her at the Hutt. "This is Luke Skywalker," Bib said, and Leia glared up at him as he spoke, then right back down at the throne before her as she felt the tip of Jabba's tail brush her lower abdomen, making her skin crawl. "Jedi Knight," she heard the majordomo add, almost reverently. Leia tensed as she felt the chain lift from where it was touching the back of her shoulder, tightening in the air; steeling herself against the inevitable yank the Hutt would make upon it, sooner or later, she listened as the chain jingled with Jabba's moving arm as he bellowed in a groggy voice, "I warned you not to admit him!" "I must be allowed to speak," Luke said in a firm, even tone. "He must be allowed to speak," Bib repeated simply, and despite her escalating tension, Leia felt herself grin inwardly as she realized what was going on. Jabba, however, was not so amused. The first quick tug on the chain came, and Leia threw a glare over her shoulder. "Ooooaaah," the Hutt growled in annoyance, and there was a grunt and the rustle of cloth, likely from some kind of physical outburst he was making upon Bib. "You weak-minded fool!" The lizard-monkey began cackling, and the Hutt snarled, "He's using an old Jedi mind trick--!" There was the sudden shifting of flesh, and then Bib cried out and grunted in pain as he was thrown onto the floor. Luke stepped forward, and lifting his hands, he pulled his hood back. Leia had never seen him look so cool, so determined, so powerful, as he said, "You will bring Captain Solo and the wookiee to me." At this demand, Jabba began laughing. "Ho-''Ho-ho-ho-ho, ''hah-''hah-hah-hah-hyeaaiii." As he did, Luke briefly met Leia's gaze, then moved back up to the Hutt as he stopped laughing. Hearing the chain links jingle behind her as they were pulled taut, Leia tensed. "Your ''mind powers will not work on me, boy," Jabba said, pulling slowly back on the chain. Feeling the collar tighten on the front of her throat, Leia firmed her abdomen and tried to lean away from the Hutt, but her throat began to be crushed; closing her eyes and silently gasping for air, she rocked back towards Jabba just as he mercifully slackened the chain, and straightening, she let her breath out. "Nevertheless," Luke said, stepping slowly closer to the throne, several guards moving in behind him. "I'm taking Captain Solo, and his friends. You can either profit by this...or be destroyed." He waited a moment, and when no interruption or response came, he added, "It's your choice, but I warn you not to underestimate my powers." Jabba snorted and growled at this, his amusement gone. "Master Luke!" Threepio shouted. "You're standing on a--!" "BAH!" Jabba snarled, and before Leia could ponder the terrifying possibilities of what Threepio had started saying, the Hutt delivered a quick, hard yank on her chain. She blinked and gagged as she felt herself pitch backwards, but was able to catch herself before Luke had to witness her pathetically falling back upon the Hutt's huge belly. "There will be no bargain, young Jedi," Jabba barked, and Leia was able to sit upright again. When the Hutt added in a grim, smug voice, "I shall enjoy watching you die," Leia's eyes widened, and as the Hutt began laughing, she looked helplessly back up at him, wondering what he was planning to do. Then suddenly things moved fast. Luke ducked and threw out one arm, and from across the room, something flew right to his open hand: a blaster! There were gasps and screams, and Jabba bellowed "Aaagh! Boscka!" ''as Luke raised the gun before him, pointing it right at the Hutt-- Then there was a fleshy ''thump behind Leia, and something shook the throne. Leia gasped as Luke and the surrounding guards all started where they stood, and then suddenly Luke was falling straight down, and as he did, he fired the pistol up at the ceiling, sparks and shattered stone raining down before the throne. Leia cried out as Luke disappeared into a black space that had appeared before the throne, yawning open as the trapdoor opened wider, and a Gammorean guard squealed and cried as he tumbled down after Luke. "Luke!" Leia cried, and a second later, a hand seized her arm. In a panic, she glared up and saw it was Lando. She wanted to ask him what was going on, to scream at him, to know where the hell he'd been while Jabba had been-- But the look in his eyes stopped any further thought. He shook his helmeted head, and then there was another tremble in the throne--and she suddenly realized it was moving. Likely powered by repulsorlift coils, the throne moved slowly forward as the trapdoor swung back up, sealing safely beneath it. Lando stepped back, and Leia felt Jabba's tail flopping and twitching excitedly by her leg. "The great Jedi," Jabba taunted, chortling gleefully, "The great Jedi..." Leia watched in confused terror as a wide section of floor before the throne seemed to drop down and slide back into itself like a puzzle piece, and when the thick metal grating appeared beneath it, she realized in horror just what it was: a hidden window, ''pointing straight down. As the throne came to a wiggling stop, making Leia sway where she sat, she leaned forward and looked down; the space beneath was massive, illuminated only by the light from the audience chamber above. Ragged stone walls had been cut away in one section, where a massive metal door began to move-- The collar tightened, and Leia reached up and grabbed her collar as she was forced upright. ''No, no, NO, ''she thought desperately, trying to force enough of the collar free of her throat to breathe. ''Not now! Still bellowing his booming laughter, Jabba tugged harder on the chain, forcing Leia to lean back just as everyone began shouting and cheering around her. Her heart pounding, Leia realized with horror that whatever was behind that huge metal door in the pit below was now in full view to them, and only by an act of sheer will was she able to keep herself upright long enough for Jabba to become distracted by whatever was going on below. Jabba slackened the chain enough for her to lean forward again, but when she looked down through the grating, she seemed to only see a mass of dark brown movement beyond it, and realized with horror that something enormous was very much alive down there. She noticed more movement then. Somewhere beyond the giant brown behemoth, a dark figure--no, two dark figures, and Leia now remembered the fallen guard--were hugging the walls of the pit. The massive brown shape changed as a long, thin arm extended, and it grabbed at one of the shapes-- "Lu--" Leia tried to cry, then held her tongue as she recognized the squirming figure of the guard being clutched in the monster's paw. It was horrifying to watch the squealing Gammorean being lifted to the monster's face, and cringing, Leia turned away from the feeding monster, hearing the horrible, wet crunching sounds ended, Jabba uttered a long, thrilled cry--the guard was dead, and now only Luke remained--and Leia forced herself to look back down, and gasped, eyes widening. As if things couldn't possibly look more grim, Leia watched in horror as the monster began to lift another figure toward itself, and there was no mistaking it now: Luke! He seemed to be holding something long and pale, swinging it towards the monster as it angled its head, preparing to eat him--and cringing, Leia squeezed her eyes shut to the cheering cacophony. For a wildly selfish moment, she almost wished that Jabba would pull the chain and make it more difficult for her to have to witness what was going on below. If she had to watch Luke die, she thought, no, she knew, that she may well go mad--and that was probably precisely why she was left free to watch this; no doubt the Hutt wanted to instill as much fear as possible into her, to torment her watching one of her friends--and her only hope at freedom from him--perish. No, ''Leia urged herself. ''Don't be a coward! Luke isn't one, nor should you be! Forcing herself to have more faith in her friend, Leia opened her eyes and leaned forward. She just managed to watch as Luke ran into a cramped corner somewhere on the far end of the pit, and as the crowd grew louder, the chain tightening, Jabba's tail brushing her bare legs as it flipped and flopped excitedly about, Leia knew that this was truly going to be the end-- Then there was a small explosion and a shower of sparks from somewhere in the darkness below, and the grind and squeal of metal, followed by a floor-vibrating thud ''and a thunderously loud cry--and then, sudden, strange ''silence. All around, the crowd grew still, and Leia looked up to see them all staring, wide-eyed and frowning, all deadly quiet. There was no way that Luke's death could have done this... "No, NO! AAAGH!" Jabba cried, and Leia knew exactly what had happened: somehow, Luke had killed the monster! Feeling tears hit her eyes as Jabba cursed and bellowed behind her. She began to grin, to snicker, to laugh uncontrollably at her renewed hope-- YANK! Jabba tugged the chain very hard then, and with a choked cry, Leia fell back on his fleshy belly, the sound of her impact lost in the racket of the outraged, horrified, cries of the audience around her. As Jabba began barking orders, Leia took the opportunity to push herself upright again, but then Jabba tugged again, harder, choking her. Grabbing the collar and shaking her head, Leia fought against her cruel captor, but Jabba was too strong for her, and kept her struggling upon his belly as he shouted, "Bring me Captain Solo and the wookiee! They will all pay for this outrage!" As several guards scattering to obey--including Lando--Leia gagged and kicked her bare legs about, trying to allow some kind of slack on the chain. "Talk droid!" Jabba bellowed, and Threepio came meekly over. "Translate this to them..." As he spoke, he slackened the chain enough for Leia to push herself upright, coughing and gagging...but then she faltered, her eyes widening as she listened to just what he wanted Threepio to say. Her heart sank; she was mortified. There was no way the Hutt was telling the truth, was there? Surely, he was exaggerating the notion of-- Jabba gave a warning tug to the chain, and Leia tensed. "Worry not, my pet," he said with playful cruelty, "y''ou'' will be staying with me ''for quite some time..." Leia's skin crawling at the thought, she realized something: regardless of her value to the Hutt as a hostage, she ''was being treated as something of a pet to him, wasn't she? Just a source of entertainment and affection, a companion for his whims--no more, and no less, than even that giant monster now lying dead in the pit below. For a moment, she almost felt sorry for it. A moment later, a familiar voice broke in: "Han!" Luke was being brought in from one door, and following his gaze, Leia looked--and suppressed a grin. "Luke!" Han, very much alive and looking far better than he had when she'd freed him from his carbonite prison--was being shoved into the audience chamber, and Chewie was right behind him! "Are you alright?" Luke called to Han as they were pushed toward each other before the throne, and it took Leia a moment to realize that the floor had sealed shut again. "Fine," Han said. "Together again, huh?" "Wouldn't miss it." As much as Leia was enjoying their signature, even casual, banter, Jabba was not so amused. He tugged on the chain, and Leia bared her teeth with a gasp. Enough! ''she willed him. "Where's Leia?" she heard Han ask, and figured he must still be blind. Recalling how she'd felt when Luke had first entered, she thought, ''Maybe that's good for now. "I'm here!" she cried, but then Jabba gave another firm tug on the chain to silence the reunion. "Now, droid. Tell them!" Jabba barked. "Oh, dear..." Threepio said, turning to the prisoners standing before the throne. "His High Exaltedness, the great Jabba the Hutt, has decreed that you are to be terminated immediately." "Good, I hate long waits," Han muttered. Beside Leia, the lizard-monkey cackled loudly. "You will therefore be taken to the Dune Sea and cast into the pit of Carkoon, the nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlacc," Threepio said, and Leia bristled with tension. "In its belly..." Threepio continued, and just as she heard Jabba's wet mouth as he licked his lips, the chain was tugged; she closed her eyes and rocked back, but it was just a passing yank, and she glared out of the corner of her eye as she leaned forward again as the droid finished pronouncing the death sentence. "...you will find a new definition of pain and suffering, as you are slowly digested over a...thousand years." So there it was; it was true, after all. Leia sat there, petrified; what could they possibly do now? "On second thought, let's pass on that, huh?" Han said, his humor lost to the grim look on his face. To counter the air of sarcasm, Luke said, "You should've bargained, Jabba." With the air of finality, Jabba commanded, "Take them away!" Guards began to usher Han, Luke, and Chewie away, and as the crowd began to mill and move towards the exit, Luke glared back at Jabba and called out, grinning confidently, "That's the last mistake you'll ''ever make." Jabba began laughing, and as the crowd began to file out through the arched doorways, there came another firm ''yank on the chain. Leia didn't resist this time; she didn't even cry. With a choked gasp, she fell back on Jabba, hearing as well as feeling the fleshy plop of his gelatinous flesh as her bare back landed upon it, her head nestled into a dimple in its upper slope. Leia barely even paid attention as the Hutt's hand fell to her shoulder and began to rub it, the lizard-monkey cackling louder. She could only stare after the crowd as they exited the audience chamber, her mind lost to the terror of certainty that her friends might perish--that she might be stuck here, forever. When Jabba gave an upward tug on the chain and said something, Leia was halfway to her feet before realizing that he had commanded her, and in her distraught, she had obeyed. Focus, stay focused! Leia urged herself as she stood upright and turned, glaring, to Jabba. "Da eitha, Slave Leia..." he half-purred, half-gurgled, and Leia only resisted for a footstep before he pulled on the chain again, harder. She neglectfully pressed her half-naked body into the Hutt's disgusting embrace, and Jabba's arms enveloped her, pulling her closer, shoving the fronts of her inadequately-covered breasts into his thick, slime-dribbled rolls of squishy flesh. She thought as loudly as she could, Luke, ''please tell me you have a plan.'' Over the wet squelches of Jabba's maw as it stretched open before her, spilling rank, hot breath upon her heaving chest, she almost thought she could hear Luke's thoughts respond; but as the Hutt's tongue emerged to meet her face for a disgusting kiss, Leia realized that her only hope was far, far away.